Bow Shaped Container for Cheerleading Bow

ABSTRACT

A bow shaped container is configured to retain, carry, and showcase a cheerleading bow. The container has a housing and a lid that hingedly open and close over the bow. The container is rigid to provide protection, and transparent to enable visibility. The generally bow shaped shape of the container is defined by four compartments forming an approximate bow shaped configuration, which approximates the shape of the bow. Each compartment encases a section of the bow. The bow is defined by a generally linear ribbon base that elevates, and a pair of tails that extend at an angle from the ribbon base. Each end of the ribbon base positions in two ribbon compartments. Each tail positions in two tail compartments. The segregated configuration of the compartments; ample height and length provided by the compartments; and relative orientation of the compartments prevents deformations, and enhance visibility for the bow.

BACKGROUND

It is known that a cheerleading outfit is a uniform worn by cheerleadingsquads usually indicative of the mascot, school, colors of the team ororganization they are representing. The uniform can include a sweater,skirt, socks, and athletic shoes. Additionally, a cheerleading bow canform a part of the outfit. Like the other attire, the cheerleading bowforms an attractive accessory indicative of a team color, logo, ormascot. The cheerleading bow can also include various decorativefeatures, such as a metallic sheen, glitter, decorative patterns andcolors, and bells.

Typically, the cheerleading bow is a decorative ornament adorned duringcheerleading exercises and competitions. The cheerleading bow oftenattaches to the crown or article of clothing adorned by the cheerleader.The bow can often clip onto the crown, hair, or cheerleading outfit.Generally, the bow is enlarged to highlight the ornamental aspects to anaudience that may be distally located. The large size of the bow alsoenhances the grip for adornment.

The inventor has been a cheerleader in the past, and has also coachedcheerleading events. One problem noticed by the inventor is that thecheerleading bow may not have sufficient structural integrity tofunction, beyond adorning the crown. The bow is chiefly ornamental, andthus is fabricated from a resilient, thin material susceptible totearing and crumpling, and other deformations. Additionally, glitter,stripes, bells, feathers, and other decorative features on thecheerleading bow fall off relatively easy.

When not in use, the cheerleading bow tended to be stored in largeclosets. This resulted in large, heavy objects being placed atop thecheerleading bow. The cheerleading bow was also stored in bags and smallcontainers which tended to compress and agitate the cheerleading bow.During transport, the cheerleading bow was haphazardly carried orcrushed into a small suitcase. The consequence being a deformedcheerleading bow or missing components to the cheerleading bow.

Another problem encountered was that after a duration, the cheerleadingbow tended to become misplaced. The memories of the cheerleadingcompetitions and camaraderie often faded. A permanent, aesthetic displayof the cheerleading bow, years after the cheerleading was not available.

The inventor initially created a rigid box to place the cheerleading bowinside. This prevented the cheerleading bow from being crushed. However,the temptation to place other objects into the rigid box was great,resulting in other objects deforming the cheerleading bow. Also, thecheerleading bow was not readily visible from the rigid box.

The inventor then created a smaller, transparent box. This enabledvisibility of the cheerleading bow and restricted other objects frombeing placed inside. However, the tails from the cheerleading bow wereoften longer than the ribbon base. This resulted in creasing on thetails. Also, the smaller, transparent box was not a very decorativecontainer.

The inventor then designed a bow shaped container with decorativefeatures, including transparency. The bow shaped container opened andclosed in a clam shell style. This made opening and closing easy forchildren. The bow shaped container was also defined by four compartmentsthat each received an end of the ribbon base and the tails. Thisprovided sufficient space that was tailor made for a cheerleading bow.The bow shaped container was also decorative, such that the cheerleadingbow could be displayed as a showcase, even many years after thecheerleading events were over.

Cheerleading accessory containers have been used for containing uniformsand accessories in the past, yet none with the present characteristicsof the present invention. See Patent numbers: U.S. 20050150782; U.S.20040255431; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,725.

For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a transparent, rigid bowshaped container to retain, carry, and showcase a cheerleading bow.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a bow shaped container that isconfigured to retain, carry, and showcase a cheerleading bow. Thegenerally bow shaped shape of the container is defined by fouradjacently positioned compartments that approximate the shape of thebow. Each compartment encases a section of the bow. The bow is definedby a generally linear ribbon base that elevates, and a pair of tailsthat extend at an angle from the ribbon base. Each end of the ribbonbase, and each tail rests in a natural state while in the respectivecompartment. The segregated configuration of the compartments; ampleheight and length provided by the compartments; and relative orientationof the compartments prevents deformations, and enhance visibility forthe bow.

The four compartments are defined by a pair of ribbon compartments thatreceive the ribbon base and a pair of tail compartments that receive thepair of tails. The compartments are oriented and sized such that the bowrests in a natural position while in the container, without folding,creasing, compressing, or crumpling the ribbon base or the pair oftails. Because each end of the ribbon base and each tail has a separatecompartment, undesirable deformations on the bow are restricted.Additionally, the visibility of the bow is enhanced by the naturalpositioning of the bow shaped compartments; thus creating a moredecorative showcase display. In some embodiments, the compartments areequidistant, with the ribbon compartments being bow shaped andsymmetrical to the tail compartments. However, in one alternativeembodiment, the tail compartments are longer than the ribboncompartments to compensate for longer tails in the bow.

In some embodiments, the container has a housing having a substantiallybow shape. The housing is defined by an open end and a closed end. Theopen end receives the cheerleading bow, and the closed end forms a basesurface for the container to rest on. The housing also includes anopposing lid that matches the shape of the open end of the housing. Thelid attaches to the housing and pivots between an open and a closedposition relative to the housing. The housing and the lid are hinged oneto the other at a rear end by a hinge, integral with the housing andlid, in such a way that the lid can move with a snap action relative tothe housing between a closed position of the container and an openposition of the container.

One objective of the present invention is to retain a cheerleading bowin a protective and decorative bow shaped container.

Another objective is to provide a bow shape to the container forfunctional and decorative purposes.

Another objective is to help prevent deformation of the bow whilepositioned inside the pair of ribbon compartments and the pair of tailcompartments.

Another objective is to have a container that forms a decorativeshowcase to preserve the memory of the bow in pristine condition.

Another objective is to maintain the natural state and structuralintegrity of the ribbon base and the pair of tails during storage.

Yet another objective is to enable visibility of the bow while thecontainer is in a closed position.

Yet another objective is to provide hinging means for enablingfacilitated movement between an open position and a closed position ofthe container.

Yet another objective is to provide a lip and ridge that frictionallysnap together to enable secure locking means between the housing and thelid.

Yet another objective is to have at least partially transparentcontainer.

Yet another objective is to provide at least one peg in the housing forsecuring the bow.

Yet another objective is to provide a handle for carrying the container.

Yet another objective is to provide a label and/or a decorative designthat is visible from the container.

DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with regard to the followingdescription, appended claims, and drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention showing anexemplary cheerleading bow positioned proximal to an exemplary bowshaped container in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bow shaped container in a closedposition;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are top views of the bow shaped container, where FIG. 3Aillustrates an open position, and FIG. 3B illustrates a closed position;and

FIGS. 4A and 4B are elevated side views of the bow shaped container,where FIG. 4A illustrates an open position, and FIG. 4B illustrates aclosed position.

DESCRIPTION

One embodiment, referenced in FIGS. 1-4B, illustrates a bow shapedcontainer 100 configured to retain, carry, and showcase a cheerleadingbow 200. The container 100 is defined by a housing 101 and a lid 109that hingedly open and close over the bow 200. The housing 101 and thelid 109 have a pair of ribbon compartments 104 and a pair of tailcompartments 106 that contain respective section of the bow 200. Thesegregated configuration of the compartments 104, 106; ample height andlength provided by the compartments 104, 106; and relative orientationof the compartments 104, 106 prevents deformations, and enhancevisibility for the bow 200.

As referenced in FIG. 1, the container 100 is sufficiently rigid to forma protective barrier over the bow 200; yet also decorative andtransparent to provide a showcase display of the bow 200. The housing101 is defined by an open end 102 and a closed end 103. The open end 102receives the bow 200, and the closed end 103 forms a base surface forthe container 100 to rest on. The housing 101 also includes an opposinglid 109 that matches the shape of the open end 102 of the housing 101.The lid 109 is movable relative to the housing 101 between a closedposition of the container 100 and an open position of the container 100.The open end 102 of the housing 101 and the lid 109 join mouth to mouthto form a mating engagement. The housing 101 and the lid 109 are atleast partially transparent to enable visibility of the bow 200 from aclosed position, such as in a showcase display. In one embodiment,housing 101 and the lid 109 are approximately 1½ ″ thick in the closedposition, which is sufficient height to enclose the bow 200 withoutcrushing. Though thicker embodiments for the housing 101 and the lid 109are possible to create sufficient space for the bow 200. Suitablematerials for the housing 101 and the lid 109 may include, withoutlimitation, a rigid polymer, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyurethane, fiberglass, and glass.

Turning now to FIG. 2, the generally bow shaped shape of the container100 is defined by a pair of ribbon compartments 104 on a rear end of thehousing 101 and the lid 109. The container 100 is also defined by a pairof tail compartments 106 on a front end of the container 100. The ribbonand tail compartments 104, 106 join at a junction 108 to form asubstantially bow shaped configuration, which approximates the shape ofthe bow 200. The bow shaped shape of the compartments 104, 106 isoriented and dimensioned to prevent deformation and enhance visibilityof the bow 200.

As referenced in FIG. 1, the bow 200 is a decorative ornament adornedduring cheerleading exercises and competitions. The bow 200 attaches tothe crown, hair, or cheerleading outfit. The bow 200 may include variousdecorative features, such as a metallic sheen, glitter, decorativepatterns and colors, and bells. Generally, the bow 200 is enlarged tohighlight the ornamental aspects to an audience that may be distallylocated. The large size of the bow 200 also enhances the grip foradornment. The bow 200 may not have sufficient structural integrity tofunction, beyond adorning the crown; and thus the container 100 providesa protective barrier for storage and portability when the bow 200 is notin use.

In some embodiments, the bow 200 may be defined by a generally linearribbon base 202 that elevates, and a pair of tails 204 that extend at anangle from the ribbon base 202. The ribbon base 202 rises to form aresilient composition. The pair of tails 204 extend at various lengths.In some embodiments, each tail 204 is longer than the ribbon base 202 bya 2:1 ratio. However, the lengths may also be approximately equal, orpossibly having the ribbon base 202 longer than the pair of tails 204.Each end of the ribbon base 202, and each tail 204 rests in a naturalstate while in the respective compartment 104, 106. This relaxedpositioning protects the structural integrity of the bow 200, andenables visibility from all angles of the bow 200.

Turning now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, the pair of ribbon compartments 104 andthe pair of tail compartments 106 join at a junction 108 to form the bowshape, which is oriented and dimensioned to prevent deformation andenhance visibility of the bow 200. Each compartment 104, 106 receivesand encapsulates a respective end of the ribbon base 202 and the tails204. Because each end of the ribbon base 202 and each tail 204 has aseparate compartment 104, 106, undesirable deformations on the bow 200are restricted. The compartments 104, 106 are oriented and sized suchthat each end of the ribbon base 202 and each tail 204 rests in anatural position while in the respective compartment 104, 106, withoutfolding, creasing, compressing, or crumpling. Additionally, thevisibility of the bow 200 is enhanced by the natural positioning in thebow shaped orientation of the compartments 104, 106; thus creating amore decorative showcase display.

In some embodiments, the compartments 104, 106 are equidistant, with theribbon compartments 104 being bow shaped and symmetrical to the tailcompartments 106. However, in one alternative embodiment, the pair oftail compartments 106 are longer than the pair of ribbon compartments104 to compensate for longer tails 204 in the bow 200. In oneembodiment, the tail compartments 106 form an approximate 45° angle fromthe front end, and the ribbon compartments 104 form an approximate 45°angle from the rear end.

In one embodiment, the container 100 forms a substantially squareperimeter shape having approximately, 9½″×9½″ dimensions. However, whenthe pair of tail compartments 106 are longer than the pair of ribboncompartments 104, the housing 101 and the lid 109 form an approximaterectangular shape. In some embodiments, the housing 101 and the lid 109can be sized larger or smaller, depending on the size of the bow 200. Inthis manner, the container 100 can be configured into a wide variety ofsizes to accommodate the full spectrum of bow sizes. The flexible sizingencourages additional commercial benefits.

For example, as a cheerleader grows, the size of the bow 200 generallyincreases. The cheerleader will require multiple containers 100 tocontain the progressively larger bows 200. It is significant to notethat the delicate fabrication of the bow 200 restrict placing more thanone bow 200 in each container 100. Also, the nostalgic need to relivecheerleading memories are conducive to maintain the structural integrityof the bow 200 in a pristine condition. Furthermore, the container 100is at least partially transparent to enable visibility of the bow 200while in the closed position. The container 100 can also have variouscolors and decorative features that correlate to a specific cheerleadingbow 200.

As referenced in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the front end of the housing 101 andthe lid 109 has a locking mechanism 112 to lock the container 100 into aclosed position. The rear end of housing 101 and the lid integrates thehinge 110 to form a pivoting axis. The locking mechanism 112 is designedto be relatively simple to open and close in consideration of the factthat children often participate in cheerleading, and therefore may beapt to use the container 100. The locking mechanism 112 may include,without limitation, a lip and a ridge that engage to form a snap actionlock in the closed position, a pair of ridges that frictionally engageto snap between the open and closed positions, magnets, buttons,zippers, and snap buttons. In some embodiments, the container 100 has ahandle for carrying and manipulation. In other embodiments, thecontainer 100 displays a label and/or an ornamental design.

While the inventor's above description contains many specificities,these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather asan exemplification of several preferred embodiments thereof. Many othervariations are possible. For example, the number of bows 200 in eachcontainer 100 could be increased by providing multiple layers within thecontainer. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by theembodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legalequivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A bow shaped container that preserves thestructural integrity of a cheerleading bow, the bow shaped containercomprises: a bow shaped housing having an open and a closed end, thehousing has a pair of ribbon compartments and a pair of tailcompartments, the ribbon compartments are adjacent to each other and thetail compartments are adjacent to each other, each ribbon compartment isalso adjacent to each tail compartment, all compartments join at acentral junction so that the housing is bow shaped; and a lid thatmatches the shape of the open end of the housing that attaches to thebow shaped housing and that pivots between an open and a closed positionrelative to the bow shaped housing.
 2. The container of claim 2, furthercomprising an integral hinge that attaches the lid and the bow shapedhousing.
 3. The container of claim 3, further comprising a lockingmechanism, wherein the locking mechanism is a snap action lock thatforms when the lid is placed in the closed position in relation to thebow shaped housing.
 4. The container of claim 3, wherein the bow shapedcontainer length is approximately 9.5 inches and its width is 9.5inches.
 5. The container of claim 4, wherein the bow shaped containerhas a height of at least 3 inches.
 6. The container of claim 5, whereinthe pair of ribbon compartments and the pair of tail compartments havethe same dimensions.
 7. The container of claim 6, wherein the pair oftail compartments are longer than the pair of ribbon compartments. 8.The container of claim 7, wherein the bow shaped container is at leastpartially transparent.